Biron, Flyers blank winless Thrashers

PHILADELPHIA (Ticker) -- Martin Biron and a decisive second
period added to the Atlanta Thrashers' woes this season.

Biron stopped all 31 shots he faced and a three-goal second
period lifted the Philadelphia Flyers to a 4-0 victory over the
winless Thrashers on Tuesday.

The 30-year-old goaltender posted his 19th career shutout and
first of the season by stopping nine shots in the first period,
10 in the second and 12 in the third. Biron's last shutout came
on April 18, 2006, when he blanked the Carolina Hurricanes,
4-0, as a member of the Buffalo Sabres.

"It felt like it was a long time ago," Biron said of his last
shutout. "You don't play for shutouts, but they're nice when
they come."

Biron's best save in this one came as the first period was about
to expire. With Atlanta on its third power play, Eric Perrin
was poised to deposit a rebound into an open net. Biron - who
still was on the ice from the original shot - shifted his body,
raised his glove and knocked the puck away.

"I'm not sure how he did what he did, but he did it and I'm
happy to see it," Flyers coach John Stevens said. "He looks
really confident in goal right now."

Biron also had some help from his defense.

"(After) I got the glove on the puck," Biron said, "I turned
around and there was a guy in the slot with a wide-open net. I
saw Gator (Jason Smith) block the shot when I had my back turned
on the play."

Mike Richards, Jeff Carter, Sami Kapanen and defenseman Randy
Jones scored for the Flyers, who are 22-3-4 all-time against the
Thrashers and have won seven straight meetings in the series
since November 18, 2005.

"We had some success against them last year," Carter said. "I
guess it carried over to tonight, and we played a solid game."

Winners of its last three, Philadelphia has outscored its
opponents, 15-3, during that stretch.

As for Atlanta - which has been outscored, 27-9, this season -
it is a far cry from last season's club that won a
franchise-record 43 games en route to capturing the Southeast
Division title.

"The last thing those boys need is for me to be hard on them,"
Hartley said. "We have to find solutions. We have young people
and lots of new faces. We're going to turn things around."

Richards put the Flyers on the board just 81 seconds into the
second period.

Daniel Briere came out from behind the net and took a
sharp-angle shot, which was stopped by goaltender Johan Hedberg.
The rebound, however, came to Joffrey Lupul, who quickly
backhanded the puck across the goal mouth, setting up Richards
for his third tally of the season.

"I feel like I'm contributing to the team a little more this
year," Richards said. "It's fun coming to the rink every day
when you're playing like this and you are full of confidence."

Carter doubled the Flyers' advantage with his fourth goal in as
many games.

Carter wristed the puck from the top of the left faceoff circle
through a screen set by Scott Hartnell. The puck deflected off
Atlanta defenseman Niclas Havelid and found its way over the
shoulder of Hedberg to give the Flyers a 2-0 bulge with just
over seven minutes remaining in the period.

"I try to do the same thing," Carter said. "You get some good
bounces in the right place in the right time."

Kapanen capped the second-period barrage 34 seconds later.

After R.J. Umberger's initial blast was stopped by Hedberg, the
puck glided toward the bottom of the right circle. Kapanen, who
had a step on Perrin, shot it into the vacant net to give
Philadelphia a 3-0 lead.

In the first five games of the season, the Flyers have outscored
the opposition, 11-5, in the second period.

"It's been good lately," Carter said of Philadelphia's
second-period play. "We just keep plugging away at it - and it
might take a while to get them to break down and get some
opportunities."

Jones kept the pressure on in the third period, accepting a
beautiful feed from Carter and depositing it over the left
shoulder of Hedberg to provide a 4-0 cushion.

Hedberg, who was drafted by the Flyers in 1994, finished with 29
saves.

"We can't just lay down and die and think that someone is going
to pull us out," Hedberg said of the team's winless start. "We
have to come back to work tomorrow, learn from what happened
today and move on."

Marian Hossa, who missed Atlanta's last three games with a groin
injury, hit the crossbar with 12 minutes remaining in the first
period. Hossa played just over 20 minutes and had four shots
on goal.